Pro: Competition For Hayes Center Businesses

Many rural communities find it hard to keep businesses going much less bring them in to town.

Hayes Center, a small town in Southwest Nebraska, is faced with that problem. 80 percent of the economy is ag based, and the declining population provides only a handful of businesses to exist.

Shop owners are getting creative though, using Facebook for merchandise sales and forming a cooperative to rebuild the grocery store helping the community grow.

"I think we could always use more business in town any time. Any town wants to grow, we could always use more businesses," said H.C. Mercantile's Connie Brott. "And I think it's a good place to make that choice and then be confident that you can make your business work where you're at."

"In times like this I think our community comes together to handle some of the issues that we are having," said Hayes County Clerk Sue Messersmith. "And it's really an encouraging thing for those of us who live here when we see that type of camaraderie to do that kind of thing."

Businesses also thrive by those traveling Highway 25 from as far as Kansas to stop and shop, which also helps the local economy.